Ginny wrote:

> I don't know what happened but my first attempt at making the sourdough
> starter "failed" < it did okay until I put it into the fridge....then when I
> took it out and tried to "proof" it ....I don't know what happened but it
> didn't rise< even over night....what a mess! I made an old recipe of yeast
> bread to be contented.......Ginny
>
>


Ginny,

Don't despair!!! It took me three years to get a "homegrown" starter to
live past the first two weeks. I found that what finally worked for me
(besides moving from a sterile modern apartment into a 100+ year old
house with an obviously loved kitchen that was baked in often) was to
just keep feeding it daily for about 3 weeks, put it on a "maintenance"
feeding, and then "resist" the urge to put it in the fridge until it was
8 - 10 weeks old (advice I had read in several books recommended by the
very very knowledgeable posters to this board) and I had baked with it a
couple times to see how it would react when "proofed".

Yes, it was more work than what I had been told it would be but it
worked like a charm. I now have three starters that I made and each day
I learn a bit more about them by watching them/baking with them.

I'm sure the folks on this board will have some good advice about
starting over (No pun intended ;-> ).

Best of Luck!!!
Mary

p.s. Hope your yeast bread was yummy